Vessels of Revival

Having seen the need for revival in the land, we now know how desperately we need God to reverse the ugly trends that have brought about the present spiritual condition and the attendant apostasy. God is calling upon the remnants to rise in the strength of the Lord and be the instruments in the revival that He is bringing.

Even though revival is the work of God and birthed through the Holy Spirit, there must be men and women responding to the prompting of the Spirit to pray for revival. More than anything else, the Lord is calling on the church to set herself apart and passionately seek the face of God for this great and mighty coming move of His Spirit.

BROKENESS &

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

The people of God need to be broken for the Lord to use them as He will not yield to the pressure of the need for revival to use just anybody. What the Lord is about to do can not be done by anybody. God needs broken vessels. He needs vessels that are totally yielded to Him. He wants to use those who have been in fellowship with Him.

These are the ones who have come to know and share His burden through constant fellowship. In this coming revival, the Lord will not use people just because of their gifts, no matter how gifted, but He will use those who are walking and operating in the fruit of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5: 22- 23).

In the past, people follow men with the gifts but this time the signs of the vessels will be more of manifestations of the fruit rather the gifts. Jesus told His disciples, “by their fruit you shall know them”. Jesus said this because of His deep understanding of the deception of gifts. Satan was an embodiment of unusual spiritual gifts but fell through pride and lost his position as an angel of light.

There is presently a pressure upon many today to manifest in great power through signs and wonders but those the Lord wants to use are those who are not under pressure to perform. Rather, they are simply content with walking with Lord through fellowship.

In 1994, the Lord told me that work for God requires a walk with God. There are many who want to “work for God” but who don’t want “a walk with God”. If it’s just about working for God, the angels will do much better because of their sheer strength and swiftness in operation. Only those who walk with God will be in better position to understand the heartbeat of God and become His choice for this divine assignment. All the great men and women used of God in scripture had fellowship with Him.

THEY ARE NOT

MATERIALISTIC

Another mark of those that the Lord will use is that they are not men with passion for material things. When they ask the Lord for wealth, they ask based on passion to alleviate the sufferings of the poor. They fund the gospel and are involved in every good Kingdom work. Like the Apostles in the early church, they are not covetous and do not exploit the people to accumulate material things.

Many today are in ministry for financial security and continue to heap up treasures for themselves here on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal (see Mattthew 6: 19). Many have left the church today because of flamboyant lifestyles of many pastors. Peter exhorted the elders (pastors) thus,

“shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock…”

(1 Peter 5: 1- 3).

God is the One that provides for the needs of His servants and will not but give them the good things of life. But believe me; their hearts will not be after these things. All that these vessels want is the tool for the work, which the Lord Himself provides as the need arises. They will not serve God for the blessing but rather count it a blessing for the Lord to use them. They will ever be thankful to God for honouring, calling and using them. They will serve Him because they love Him and share His burden.

THEY ARE

HUMBLE VESSELS

One of the things that will stand these vessels out in this coming move will be humility. These vessels will walk in high level of humility that it will be difficult for people to believe that the Lord had poured such a great anointing on them. They will not only be humble but also simple. They would have and operate the lifestyle of Jesus. Their appearance will not be intimidating and they will not despise anyone, no matter how lowly such people appear. Jesus was so clothed with this humility and simplicity that it took the kiss of Judas for His captors to recognise Him.

These vessels will not seek fame and glory but their passion will be to see Jesus glorified. They will take a cue from John the Baptist, who, when he was told that Jesus was baptising and that all people were coming to Him rejoiced and said, “…this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3: 29- 30). These vessels will care less about their titles. They will answer the titles only for the purpose of identity and when they are not called by such titles, they will not be offended. James says

“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4: 6).

When Peter arrived in the house of Cornelius, the Bible tells us that the Centurion fell down at his feet and worshipped him. The action of this army General is understandable. Peter had been mentioned to him by an angel who had come from heaven and to receive a man known in heaven was no doubt a big deal to Cornelius,he fell down to worship. Lifting him up, Peter said, “Stand up; I myself am also a man”(Acts 10: 25- 26).

Peter wasted no time in letting the army officer know that he was a man just like him. In other words, Peter was saying the fact that he was a man of God did not mean he was God that he could be worshipped. The fact that God uses us does not mean that we have become His equal.

As a matter of fact, the more God uses us, the more humble we ought to become. No wonder he later wrote that we should humble ourselves under the MIGHTY HAND of God, the hand that crushes every arrogant person. In his submission over this important subject Apostle Peter said

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time”

(1 Peter 5: 6- 7)

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